E-signatures for documents explained

Table of Contents

E-signatures at a glance
How e-signing works
Signature methods
Access and permissions
Automate processes with e-signatures
Client view

E-signatures in TaxDome let clients sign forms, agreements and tax returns from any device — legally binding without the print-sign-mail trip. The same e-signing engine works across two contexts: documents and tax return packages.

E-signatures at a glance

Electronic signatures have been recognized by law in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia since the early 2000s. An e-signature is just as valid as a handwritten signature, but clients don’t have to take time from their busy schedules to print, sign, make copies and mail a document back via regular mail. Instead, they e-sign documents and accept agreements on their TaxDome portal.

There are two ways to use electronic signatures for documents on TaxDome.

E-signing documents and forms lets you request signatures on any PDF — including official government forms. You can place fields anywhere on the document, request KBA or QES for identity verification, and allow clients to sign without logging into the portal.
E-signing tax return packages uses the same signing engine as part of a tax return delivery. Clients move through a guided step-by-step flow to review documents, sign and pay invoices in one experience.

Tip

Firms can also collect signatures on proposals and engagement letters and recurring-invoice authorizations , but the signing process for these differs from documents and tax returns.

How e-signing works

In general, the e-signing workflow is:

Prepare the document — upload a PDF to a folder where the client has at least Client can view access, or draft a tax return delivery .
Add signers and place fields — choose signers from the linked contacts list, add third parties by email.
Choose a signature method — toggle on KBA, QES or AdES if extra verification is required. Otherwise, the request defaults to a simple electronic signature.
Send the request — the client receives an email and a portal notification.
Client signs — clients click signature fields on the portal, mobile app or email link, complete any verification step and confirm.
Track the progress — monitor signature status and download the signed document with a completion certificate once everyone has signed.

Signature methods

TaxDome supports four signature methods, each with different legal weight and verification requirements:

Simple electronic signature — the default method. The client types or draws their signature; TaxDome captures the signer’s identity and timestamp in the audit trail
Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) — required for IRS Form 8879 compliance. The client answers five identity-verification questions generated from public consumer-data records before signing. Available for US clients with an SSN
Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) — eIDAS-compliant signature with the highest legal status in the EU, equal to a handwritten signature. The client verifies their identity through a qualified trust service provider before signing
Advanced Electronic Signature (AdES) — same flow as QES but without the qualified certificate. Less legally binding than QES but accepted in most EU contexts

KBA and QES/AdES are paid signatures — costs are drawn from the firm balance .

Access and permissions

E-signing access depends on what is being signed and who is signing:

Firm side — firm owners and admins can request e-signatures on any document. Team members need the Manage documents access right , plus Charge firm balance if KBA, QES or AdES is involved
Client side — any contact linked to the account and added as a signer can sign, regardless of their Signatory authority setting (that setting only applies to proposals and recurring invoices). Documents must sit in a folder with Client can view or Client can view and edit access for the client to see them

Automate processes with e-signatures

Common automation scenarios:

Move a job when an e-signature is complete — link the pending signature to a job stage with Automove enabled; the job advances as soon as all parties sign
Advance jobs when the tax return is signed — link the tax return delivery to a job and enable Automove on the signing stage; the job moves forward as soon as all required signatures are collected
Send automatic reminders — schedule follow-up emails to clients who haven’t signed yet, without you chasing them

Client view

If notifications for the client are on, they are informed on receiving a signature request. Your clients can see and open signature requests in different ways:

From the client portal or mobile app: Click the notification under the Home page tasks list or in the Waiting for action section. They can also open it directly from the Documents page.
From the email notification: Click Review & sign in the email.

If signers can sign the document without logging in , the email link will be valid seven days after it’s sent.

When you request an e-signature from more than one user for an account (e.g., spouses), each user will see only their own e-signature field. The document remains in Pending E-Signature status in the Signatures subtab until both parties have signed it.

When a client receives a signature request for the first time, they will be prompted to read the Electronic Signatures Disclosure and agree to use e-signatures.